Rubidium (Rb)

Atomic number: 37
Atomic weight: 85.4678
Average concentration in ocean: 1.4 µmol/kg
Residence time: 3,000,000 years

Distribution in ocean
Rubidium is a conservative element with a constant vertical concentration profile in the Pacific (data).

Speciation
Rubidium is present as the Rb+ ion.

Residence time
The rubidium residence time is from Tracers in the Sea (Broecker, W. S. and Peng, T.-H., 1982.  Eldigo Press, Palisades, NY).  It was calculated from the global average river input.

Analysis
Rubidium is determined by atomic absorption spectrometry or mass spectrometry.

References & Notes